Check your accounts: Marriott bonus elite night credits are posting

Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

Most hotel programs have been busy pivoting in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — including extending elite status and reducing 2021 status qualification requirements. Last month, Marriott announced a unique promotion to reward existing elite members beyond its status extensions through February 2022: It would be depositing bonus elite-night credits into members' accounts.

With this promotion, members will earn 50% of the elite nights needed to qualify for the elite status that they held in 2020. For example, if you were a Platinum elite in 2020, which requires 50 nights a year, you'd get 50% of that — or 25 elite nights — as a bonus.

Here's the breakdown:

While Marriott said that these bonus elite-night credits would be deposited at some point in February, we didn't know that they'd post so soon.

While some TPG staffers have started to receive their bonus nights (that stack with the bonus nights from having the cobranded Marriott credit cards), not all have received them yet. They are likely being done in batches, don't fret if yours aren't there displaying quite yet. When Marriott deposited bonus elite-night credits last year, it took several days for all elites to get their credits. Also, similar to last year, Marriott will likely send out emails to eligible members once the credits have been deposited.

Last year, eligible members received an email with the subject line, "We've Added ___ Elite Night Credits to Your Account."

The example above is from a TPG staffer who qualified for Platinum Elite status, so they were given 25 elite nights — half of the 50-night requirement. Combined with having a Marriott credit card that automatically awards 15 elite night credits each year, that account is now just 10 nights away from requalifying for Platinum status without actually doing anything.

Elite night credits are primarily used to help you qualify for elite status each year (as the name would suggest), but Marriott already took care of that by extending members' status through February 2022. Still, there are a few reasons why receiving these nights could be beneficial.

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Upgrade to a higher tier of elite status

Bonus elite night credits, when combined with elite nights earned from Marriott credit cards or from any trips you manage to take this year, may help you qualify for a higher level of elite status than you previously held. For instance, if you hold a personal and business Marriott credit card, you could already have 30 additional nights in your account.

But also, keep in mind that any status you earn this year will be valid all the way through Feb. 28, 2023.

Qualify for lifetime elite status

Marriott uses two factors to determine eligibility for lifetime elite status: number of years with status and total number of elite night credits. This includes actual nights spent in a hotel as well as those earned from credit cards or other promotions. Earning dozens of extra elite night credits can help people close the gap.

Earn additional Choice Benefits

Marriott offers its top-tier elites Choice Benefits, with a selection earned after staying both 50 and then 75 nights a year. The options include things like Suite Night Awards, bonus elite night credits, gifting elite status and more. However, these perks are based solely on your actual nights in a year — and aren't automatically granted to existing lifetime elites and under the previously-announced status extensions.

If your boost pushed you over the threshold to qualify for Platinum status or higher, log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account at this link to choose your benefits. Just remember that your selections are final — so choose carefully.

Register for Marriott's upcoming promotion

In addition to depositing bonus elite-night credits, Marriott has opened registration for its upcoming promotion. The promotion will run from Feb. 16 through April 27, 2021 and allow members to earn double the number of points and elite night credits for all stays of two nights or more.

If you're already signed in to your account to check if your bonus nights have posted, simply head to the promotions page to register. Alternatively, you can register using this link.

Between this promotion, the bonus elite-night credits and nights you might have from a cobranded Marriott card, earning Bonvoy elite status this year will be easier than ever.

Related: Marriott Bonvoy makes it easier to earn elite status and redeem points in 2021

Bottom line

If you haven't checked your Marriott account recently and you earned elite status in 2019 or 2020, you may want to log in to see your current elite-night balance in the coming days. This boost is great as it could help you reach a higher tier of Bonvoy elite status this year, or unlock a new set of Choice Benefits. Depending on what status you have and if you hold cobranded Marriott credit cards, you may have already qualified for status through Feb. 2023 without even realizing it.

Additional reporting by Nick Ewen and Ethan Steinberg.